Having already wrapped up his third straight World Professional Chuckwagon Association season-long title the night before, Bensmiller added a new award to his collection at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino on Sunday.

Off the first barrel in the ninth heat aboard his Versatile Energy Services wagon, Bensmiller outraced Luke Tournier, Ross Knight and Jordie Fike to win the inaugural Century Downs Winners’ Zone Championship Dash in a time of 1:24.53.

“It feels great,” said Bensmiller in regards to winning the $25,000 top prize and a horse trailer valued at more than $30,000. “This whole show has been a huge success and we’re hoping we get to come here every year.”

After plans for the new show were announced last year, Bensmiller was invited to sit on the board of directors to help organize the event.

“I got to be on the board for one of the big meetings to decide how this was all going to play out and I was excited to be part of it and have a chance to win it, so it’s a big deal,” said the 36-year-old reinsman from Dewberry, Alta., who helped decide that the top dozen drivers (based on WPCA standings) heading into the WPCA’s final show of the season would be eligible to compete in the Winners’ Zone playoffs.

Through the first four nights of action at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, those 12 drivers received points based on their daily running and aggregate times.

Although he finished in second place with 44 points, which was one behind Knight’s top tally, Bensmiller still wound up drawing the No. 1 barrel for the season’s final dash for cash.

“They were really running well and everybody deserved to be in there,” said Bensmiller of Tournier, Knight and Fike, who earned $12,500, $7,500 and $5,000 respectively for finishing in second, third and fourth. “I don’t know if I could have come from behind on them guys, so to have the No. 1 barrel and make them run around me, that helped out a lot.”

For winning his third straight world champion chuckwagon title and fourth in the past five years, Bensmiller took home an additional $10,000 as well as a one-year lease on a new GMC pick-up truck, while he and his outriders Rory Gervais and Cole Somerville received championship belt buckles.

Gervais also defended his title as world champion outrider and helped Chad Harden become the inaugural Century Downs aggregate champion on Saturday.

Harden compiled a four-day aggregate time of 5:34.85, which was 1.59 seconds faster than Chance Flad, who was named as the WPCA’s top rookie driver.

“I was second in Rocky Mountain House (on Aug. 18) in the aggregate (behind Dayton Sutherland) and to finish the next show off strong too was nice,” said Harden, who also has the distinction of holding the track record at Century Downs Racetrack thanks to his quick trip around the track on Thursday night in 1:22.59. “That’s nice, too, to hold for a while.”

For his efforts Harden won $5,000, while he, Gervais and Rory Armstrong each received championship belt buckles.

In addition to praising Gervais for his consistent work, Harden commended Armstrong for outriding with him in every race but one this season.

“He was a mainstay on the back end for me and he did a great job this year,” said Harden, who appreciated the fact that all the drivers – even those who finished outside of the top 12 – had a chance to win money at the newest event on the WPCA tour. “It’s a great event and looks like it’s going to be a great one down the road. It’s definitely one of the most lucrative shows on the tour. It benefits all drivers.”

AROUND THE BARRELS

Each of the nine heats on Sunday was its own dash for cash as $60,000 was awarded before the final race even took place. . . . After finishing in a dead heat with identical times of 1:25.02 in Sunday’s fifth race, Mark Sutherland and Jason Glass took home $3,000 each in prize money. . . . Other heat winners (with their respective prize amounts) were Bob Van Eaton ($2,000), Vern Nolin ($2,500), Codey McCurrach ($3,000), Layne Flad ($3,500), Kirk Sutherland ($4,500), Obrey Motowylo ($5,000) and Troy Flad ($5,500). . . . Nolin won his second straight clean driver award, while Hayden Motowylo was named as the WPCA’s top rookie outrider.

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